Love, gratitude and blessings

A NOTE FROM LEXI'S MOM:  Sister Lexi Hixson will be returning home from her mission on Saturday, November 8th at exactly 9:25 am...which is 205 hours and 45 minutes from this minute.  I may or may not be excited...you judge!  We can't wait to get our arms around her and hear her "Lexi giggle."  And to have her fill our home with her wonderful piano medleys once again.  Oh the questions we will ask about her experiences in Montana and Wyoming and about the very, VERY special people who will be part of her heart forever more.  Thank you for your love and support these 18 months.  Now on to Lexi's e-mail...


Once again, there is a lot to say, but I can't find the words! I will tell you about yesterday because it was a glorious day!

Yesterday, I was in ward council, and I just paused for a minute and looked at everyone in the room.  All these people who I love.  I thought of their families and how hard they are working to serve the Lord and take care of their families and teach them in the right way.  I just felt a great amount of love for them.  I also feel that every time we leave Bishop's office or home.  I just feel a huge amount of love and gratitude for him.  He is a righteous man with great love.

Then, we were sitting in Gospel Principles class.  Sister Johnson and I had made mention earlier how there are still so many people in the ward who we don't know! But, as we sat there in class, I looked at everyone in class and realized that we had been in every one of their homes! Two of them are people we were blessed to teach and see enter the waters of baptism, and one of them is on her way there! They have touched our lives, and we have touched theirs in some way.  I just felt so blessed.

After that, we went to Sacrament Meeting where we looked out at the Worland 1st ward, and my heart was just filled with joy.  I love these people.  I am so grateful to know them, to know their families, to be in their homes. 

The Lord has truly blessed me. 

I feel like Ammon in Alma 26.  Verses 7-8 reads:

"But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

"Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever."

I know that life is not perfect, but I also know that God showers blessings upon us every single day! I want to always remember to pause and realize the blessings of the moment.  Will you all do the same? I know that God will show you His hand as you choose to pause and look for it.

I love you all! <3

Love always,

Sister Hixson

 Brother Wright's baptism...(on left)

Happy Sister Missionaries

PRAYER

Hi!

It's been a different kind of week this week, but it was wonderful.  Brother Wright was baptized and confirmed! It was a beautiful service and very peaceful.  Sister Johnson and I are not together this week due to exchanges, but we are excited to be together again tomorrow! I love being with my companion! :) 

Yesterday was amazing, and I learned so much about prayer.  Elder Scott and Elder Bednar spoke to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado through a broadcast! Here are some things I learned:

God answers prayers in three ways.  

1) He answers yes through feelings of peace, comfort, and assurance.  He blesses you with confidence in that decision.

2) The answer is no.  You feel a stupor of thought, an unsettling feeling.

3) You receive no answer.  You don't feel anything in particular.  This, Elder Scott explained, is when the Lord trusts you enough to make your own decision.  He said we should express thanks to Heavenly Father when this happens because He trusts you! He is letting you grow.  If we go along then, and start to make the wrong choice, He will warn us, and vice versa.  

Elder Scott explained that God will give us bits of inspiration little by little.  Sometimes that means He will let us struggle, think, and thus grow.

He also shared that God will rarely answer our prayers while we are on our knees.  He expects us to study the scriptures, to search for ourselves, and to act.

I have learned so much from this talk.  I know that God knows us and loves us each.  I know that He wants us to be happy, He really does.  That is sometimes why we have to struggle.  I just know that God has a plan for each one of us.  I testify that God's work is hastening.  The gospel is a gospel of hope.  The true church is on the earth today.  

I love you all! Thank you always for your prayers, letters, and examples.  I am blessed because of you!

Sincerely, 

Sister Hixson

IT'S FALL!

THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!

Hello!

This week was filled with a lot!! A lot of wonderful things!

We travelled to Billings and Helena, where I got to see Sister Frost!! Yay! Then, I got to see Sister Smith too and Sister Spencer, who are now companions! Wonderful reunions with some people who have changed my life for the better.  

Well, well, I don't know what to report today.  I am alive! I am happy! I am a missionary! And I love it! Seriously, I love being a missionary.  And I know that I will be a missionary for the rest of my life.  

This week I had one of those "This is the best thing ever!" experiences. We were at church, and one of the people we are teaching who is getting baptized this Thursday wasn't there! After the second hour, we said, "I'm worried about him!" because he always keeps his commitments! Then, we turn and look down the hallway, and he was sitting in a chair reading his scriptures, wearing his white shirt and tie! We ran...walked swiftly...to see him, and he was so tired and hadn't even slept the night before, but he came to church! He even bore his testimony during second hour and he has really come to know that the church is true.  It is so cool to see him change, and he really has done it through his own studies and prayers.  He has asked us questions before about basic doctrines of the gospel, and we would invite him to pray and read.  He would, and the next day, he would explain that he received his answer! It's wonderful.  Then, along with this, we arrived in Sacrament meeting to see four other people we are teaching arrive too!  I know how important it is to attend church.  The Spirit there teaches us and answers our questions.  Because we choose to keep that commandment, the Holy Ghost can instruct us more fully, and we can help others too!

Life is good.  I read this quote by Elder Neal A. Maxwell today:

"Being blessed with hope, let us, as disciples, reach out to all who, for whatever reason, have 'moved away from the hope of the gospel.' Let us reach to lift hands which hang hopelessly down."

Preach My Gospel, 117.

We have hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We can help each other have hope too.  

This week was joyful.  As we rode the transfer van from Helena to Billings, we sang hymns and pondered on what we had learned in our meetings.  It is incredible to be surrounded by such wonderful people.  They have helped me to have hope and greater faith in Christ and in myself. 

"Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy."

2 Nephi 2:25 

I am grateful for you all! 

Thank you for your love, examples, and prayers!

Love always and forever,

Sister Hixson

Hello all!

This weekend was amazing with General Conference! We got to hear from the Prophet! I was overjoyed! 

A few things were impressed upon me while I watched it.  I realized the importance of coming to know truth for ourselves.  I also recognized the importance of sustaining the Prophet.  And last of all, I gained a greater desire to study more about the Prophet Joseph Smith and to strengthen my testimony of him and the Restoration of the gospel.  General Conference is an amazing experience.  I feel so blessed to have a Prophet on the earth today who loves us.  He truly is a Prophet of God.  

As Sister Johnson and I drove to the church for General Conference, we talked about how much of the world has no idea that right now the Prophet will be speaking! But then we talked about how much more of the world knows about it now because of missionary work!  Because of the efforts of full-time and member missionaries, the world knows! It's so cool to think that the Lord uses us to bring truth to the world.  Of course, we cannot do it without Him.

I know that the Lord watches over His children- all of us! He knows and loves me and you. As I watched General Conference I was reminded of the importance of prayer- something so simple, yet central for our return to live with Him again.  We have the opportunity to talk with Him anytime, anywhere.  A portion of Elder Scott's talk really stood out to me when he said to talk to Heavenly Father about EVERYTHING. He promised peace.  We all need greater peace in this life, and God is here to help us receive it.  I am striving to speak more openly to my Heavenly Father- to really pour out my soul to Him.  He is the one who can help me and bring me peace.

The gospel is true.  I loved Elder Christoffersen's talk about truth.  "Truth is truth is truth," is what I wrote in my notes.  There is absolute truth, and we can all find it.  I love this gospel and the opportunity to be edified yesterday by the Prophet and other leaders of the church.  If you didn't get the chance to listen or watch it, go to LDS.org and watch it! You will be strengthened! :)

I love you all so much! Thank you for your influence on my life.  I owe so much to all of you.  Thank you for your prayers and love.  

Ether 12:6

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

May we fight the good fight and be filled with love.

Love always,

Sister Hixson